HOLDING THINGS UP

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1933, Page 7

HOLDING THINGS UP

LABOUR ORGANISED

EARLY MORNING BLOCKADE

SALES TAX SKIRMISH

Scenes reminiscent of tho daya when "stonewalls" were a feature of Parliamentary procedure were witnessed iiv the House of Representatives in. the early hours of this morning when efforts were made by the Labour Party, assisted by the Government member for Wellington Suburbs (Mr. E. A. Wright), to. prolong-the discussion in the Committee staga of the Sales Tax Bill. .The short title of the measure had 3ust been agreed to after four hours* debate when Mr. P. Fraser . (Labour, Wellington Central) moved that the Chairman (Mr. S. G. Smith) should leave tho Chair. The short title had been carried after the application of the closure, and Mr. Fraser said he wished to draw pointed attention to the fact that members who'were anxious to discuss the Bill, and who were entitled to discuss it, had been denied the privilege of doing,so. The measure before the Houso involved the welfare of the whole of tha community, and it was essential that the House'should bo in a fit condition to discuss it. It had always been customary on the short title to give members a full opportunity of discussing tho principles 01 the proposed legislation before the House. > " , FREEDOM OF SPEECH. "It ia now 4.30 a.m.," said Mr. Frascr, "and the House has been" sitting for a long time. Progress has been made, and in tho.interests of *■ freedom of speech it is only right that every member should havo au opportunity of saying what he. thinks about the legislation. That is what they are sent hero for. Personally I don't think the time of the Committee has been wasted; and I do not think that tho closure should have been moved." Tho ; Chairman: The honourable gentleman must not discuss that. Mr. Fraser: I do not think that members have heen. treated in the right way, land I want to protest most strongly against it. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier), in supporting the motion, said that members were entitled to speak four times on tho short title. Tho Chairman.; I don't think the honourable gentleman can advance that as a reason for my leaving tho Chair. TIBST OPPORTUNITY. Mr. Barnard: This is the first time I havo had an opportunity of -speaking. Surely I am not to be asked to sit down, before I have had an opportunity of saying what I think. If I ant to bo confined to. the particular clauses of tho Bill, I will not have an opportunity of saying what I want to say. Mr. Smith: The honourable gentleman .had an opportunity of rising in his place. Mr. Barnard: If I had been called upon other members would have been deprived of the opportunity of speaking. The Chairman: Order! Order! Mr. Barnard: May I proceed? "IN CHAINS." Mr. D. G. :Sullivaii (Labour, Avon): H"o, yon are in chains. Mr. Barnard argued that the Bill involved a new principle, anl members should be given a full opportunity of expressing their opinions. Furthermore, members, were , entitled to some rest ■faefore_ they were asked t- give their attention to such an important measure; "lam sure that the Minister in eha'rge of itha Bill must be in need of some lest," said Mr. Barnard. "Possibly it would not be a. discourtesy to you to say that you need rest as well." Mr. H. G V B. Mason (Labour, Auckland Suburbs) said that this was "tho first time since lie had been in the House that he had been deprived of aD opportunity of speaking on. the short titla of the Bill. He believed that the House was being asked to go too fpst. They should take some time to consider what they" were doing. Too much iiu--1 patience was being shown. Tho Chairman: Order! Order! Tha honourable gentleman is reflecting on the Chair. Mr. Mason: Not for an instant. There might be inemb-51-3 who consider that •they have valuable arguments to submit to the House. MINORITIES' RIGHTS. Mr. A. S. Eichards (Labour, Eoskill) asked if minorities wcro to- have no lights. ■ Labour members: Majorities you mean, don't you? Mr. Eichards: Surely minorities have some right to express the views of their constituents in this House. Tha Chairman said that Mr. Eichards must disenss' whether the Chairman should leave the Chair. Mr. Eichards: I am doing that. The Chairman: Then I fail to recognise it. : . " Mr. Eichards: I'm afraii I'm not responsible for that. The Chairman: The honourable member must realise that he niust not use such remarks. Mr. Eichards: I do not wish to be offensive to. the Chair ;or to disoboy your rulings; in any way. Democracy is supposed to rule the debates in this House, but I have -not witnessed to- , night anything; approaching democracy. The Chairman: Order! Order! Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour, Chrisfcchureh East) said that at feast 40 per cent, of the members had not had an opportunity of speaking at all, and they Vera now approaching the second clause otfthe Bill. The debato had only iieen going twelve hours. Government members: Too long! TChe Chairman: If the interjections con fanue, I wUI have to stop them all. Mr. Armstrong: Thank you very muah. Sir. (Laughter.) If objection is going to be taken to a discussion of twelve hours on such an important .Bill, then democracy ceases to exist. Mr, Armstrong questioned the right Of the Chairman to apply the closnre at sudh a stage. Th& Chairman: I did not movo the closure. . r : '■■■-■' Mr. Armstrong: The Standing Orders provide- that there- must be a reasonable itse of the closure. The Chairman: The hon." gentleman must not repeat that. Ho has been here long enough to know that the Chairman does not apply the closure. Labour members; But you accepted lit. - r . .The Chairman: The Committee carried tbe;: motion. ■ • • Mr.i Armstrong continued to argue that the Speaker and the Chairman were given discretionary powers tbgarding -the closure, but ho was reminded fchat his remarks wer& entirely out of order. Mr. B.; Semple (Labour, Wellington East): Wljiat are we here for? , Mr. Armstrong went on to argue that the CViairman himself was in need of a rest. , Labour niembers (with erithusiam): '■ Hear, hear. '.."'■ MR. W.EIGHT'S SUPPORT. Support for; the motion was given by Mr. Wright, wVio refuted any suggestion that there haVl been a waste of time in discussing'-.the Bill. He considered that the House had already done excel-

lent work. It had been sitting since 2.30 p.m. the previous day and it was unfair to ask. them to sit possibly until 5.30 to-night. . . ■ Mr. Coates;* No, midnight' on Saturday. Mr. Wright:, Members will want to go north-and south. The Chairman: I'm afraid that is, not a.reason why tho Chairman should leave the Chair. ' A plea for tho health of the Chairman of Committees was entered by Mr. F. Jones (Labour, Dunedin South). The Chairman: I'm afraid the Chairman's health can't bo discussed. At this stage, Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central) took a hand in the discussion, and atfgued with apparent seriousness that there was, no real reason why the House should adjourn. His personal view was that they should proceed with the discussion. He was very anxious to see the next clause discussed. "A DODDERY STATE." _ Mr. F. Langsto'ne (Labour, Waimarino), in advancing arguments why the Chairman should leave the Chair, said he was afraid that the lengthy sitting'had had the effect of reducing Mr. Parry :to a "rather doddery state,".-hence his arguments in favour of a continuance. Some amusement was created whon ■MrvC.'H; Clinkard (Government, Rotorua) made an attempt to move the closure.'He failed to catch the Chairman's eye and was greeted with the remark from Mr. Semple: "The old sea lion; get back to your mud-hole!" Here, Mr. J. McCombs (Labour,. Lyttelton), urged that the charwomen were in the building and wero anxious to get into the .Chamber. Members: Hear, hear! Put the lights off. The Chairman: Order!' Order! There is too much levity. Mr. MeCombs advanced another argument 'in favour of the adjournment. He said he was sure that members were anxious to have an opportunity of reading the morning papers in ordor'to find out what tho consumers: thought about-the sales tax. DOCTOR FROM ASYLUM. Mr. ,T. O'Brien (Labour, Westland) drew a rather dire picture of the stuffy atmosphere of the Chamber.' "Why," he said,"there is paper and cigarotto butts lying: all over the place. '' If they ■wonf: on as they were going, they would have to, send for a doctor from the lunatic asylum to esamino the whole lot of them. Tho Chief Government Whip (Mr. A. J. Murdoch.) moved tho closure at this stage, but tho motion was not accepted by the Chairman. At 5.50 a.m., Mr. Wright solemnly announced that he had another, reason why the Committee should adjourn. He referred Yto tho "sweating" methods which were being adopted so far as the officers of tho House wcro concerned. Shortly before 6 o'clock, the Minister of Defonce (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe), who was temporarily in charge of the Bill, moved the application of the closure, and this was, carried by 41 votes, to 24. Tho motion that the Chairman should leave the Chair was defeated on a similar vote.